Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-07

the adjacent saloon was full of military
passengers, all jolly fellows, going to
the front and Burmah, and all re-
solved to make "wet" night, or
rather morning, of their last in old En-
gland. Perhaps the chief topic of con-
versation was the coming war in the
Land OF Rubies, and, as usual in such
vessels, from the hour Of deck-swabblng
in the early morn till the bugles sound
"lights out" when troops are on board,
little is heard on all sides but the strange
ly sounding names OF places in Hindus-
TAM, Afghan, or Pathan, and Of others in
the Indies, where ere long the Russians,
leaving Herat, Csndahar, and Cnbul in
their rear, will be seeking to cross swords
with US.
Happy, and mostly needless young tel
lows, whose partings with those they
might never see again were past and
over, a revulsion Of feeling had set in,
and over their liquor they found that
The chief end of life is to live and be jolly.
"Where are they golng?" asked q
special correspondent. "To the 'front.'"
was the invariable reply; but how, when
or where, these young warriors neither
know nor care. All they are certain of Is
that they are going to get as near the
enemy as possible, and that when there
| they mean to fight. Meanwhile they dis
cuss, with refreshing disregard of exact
history, politics and even ethics, both the
retrospect ard the prospect; but turn the
compass IS they will, the needle always
points the same way-they are going to
the front. All our soldiers on board are
rot griffs. There are helmets which have
seen service, and III certain Workmanlike
baggage lie weapons that have already
flashed on Indian osttlefelds. Not a few
are, perhaps, old frontier men, and some
they are the oracles amongst us-know
the Khybr and Quetta more than by name
only. Their regiments have seen service
aiong the Atrida troubled borders, or
garrisoned that advance post at Shere
ALPS end of the Bolan, which his High
ness Of Cabul would give much to hold
to-day.
So amid much laughter and babel of
voices, in which the talk Yves much Of
the Russian seizure Of Pul-t-Khotun and
Penjedah, aud now Of Knoish- Salah; OF
Mougals, Shanwarris and Towokis; OF
Umbeylo, the Kolem valley, and OF the
Rsngoon river, with Minhlo, Mandeley,
Bhomos, and SO forth, Montague Ions
dale stroye TO court sleep, as be did net
feel, just then, in the mood for such
needless end hilarious society.
Bound to reach Calcutta in tbirtY-eight
days, the grest ship Pagoda was above
5000 tons burden, as stated; but with all
her splendid fitting up and the bOssted
luxury of such vessels, she was not with
out some CT the diSComforts that attend
these liners; thus, almost everything
being sacrificed TO the saloon, which feN
entered but ct meal time, the tiny cabins,
with sometimes four occupants in each,
were little TO anyone's TASTE.
The passenger lay on narrow shelf fol
a sleeping place-its roof so low that it
was almost impossible TO turn without
knocking the head against the planks
ABOVE, while the shelf itself was so high
up perhaps, that g ladder was necessary
to reach it. There were pege eli rouEC
hung with garments, and every chance O.
ones basin and tumbler being used by
others, while nearly sill toilettes were
performed in public, and delicate and
refined ladies', TO reach the bathroom, ha(
in deshabille-so run the gauntlet o
the quizzing and critical male passengers
stewards, and ships officers
In the haze of al early August morn
ing, and while the rays OF the sun were
Still lingering beyond the higher ground
of the Isle OF Wight, the Psgoda, unde,
half steam, dropped down the great es
tusrq named Southampton Water, ant
Lonsdale, M0ntreseor and few Othe
Y ung otficers-some Of them lOokiD!
seedy enough after last nights work il
the saloon, and nearly all wearing tn
lightest Of tweed suits, while some hat
slresdy-in anticipation OF the terrible
heat OF the Red Sea-adopted white hel
NETS with puggaries-were smoking o.
the poop together; and now the eXposur
Of ediflces that form the borough, wit
the spire ot ST. Michael and of Al
Saints were fading out on the post quar-
ter. with the raised causewsy or promen
ade and all its stately trees. And aroun,
, the 2 and Q, liner was the opening fair
way, studded with sails and sire AXE
with foam and the stir OF innumerabl
, steamers.
On the starboard side, after Eas
Cowes was past, rose the soft beauties G
the Isle of Wight, where the harves
: fields were ready for the sickle; and a.
= ready the first glimpse Of the coming au
,, tumn could be seen by the glass amid tn
openings where the leaves had alTead
4
= e-Maying now.
, The woodlands were ell flushed with th
|, last touches of summer, toned down
places by those of the coming autumn,
Half franked with spring, with sum-
mer half eInbrowned."
The great white cliffs, gashed by the
chimes, stood up, shaded with grey an
blue above the sunny sea, aud as the shi
-, glided on, in quick succession she pssse
= Ryde-who knows not Ryde?-Ne,
= Teton Point, and over the wild
= height of Sandown Bay, over
Swallowed by high dark hills, and sweep
ing in beautiful curve from Shanklin I
z the Culver Rocks; then came Ventnor @
+ its commanding height and even tt
Il Pagoda felt the waters of the chann
curing under her fore-foot.
= Lonsdele and Montressor, more refe
= tive than most OF their companions, Wei
= thinking when should they look on the.
y most English scenes again, and the 70
= mer was feeling that ages had apparent
=, elapsed since he had parted from Melan
% in their lone and lovely trysting- plac
- when lady came on deck, with SO
- white knitted hood tied coquettishlv ovs
her bright sunny hair; and she advance
=, smilingly towards the group Of officer
% one fsultless white hand ungloved. tWir
> ing the large suashsde that rested on h,
shoulder, bright smile in her beautiful
but sleepily-lidded hazel eyes, and Lon
: dale's heart. gave s leap of dismay {
Is recognize g Hiida Tremsyne. Hilda g
: ing out IL the Pasoda too,